Systems and methods for locating and restoring service lines in pipeline rehabilitation

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention include a system for locating and restoring service lines during pipeline restoration. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the system includes a movable chart, a plug with a marking magnet, and an attachment part. In some embodiments of the present invention, the movable cart is deployed along the inside of a pipeline. In some embodiments, the attachment part is movably coupled to the movable cart. The attachment part is configured to install a plug into the service line at a location where the service line intersects the pipeline, according to some embodiments. In other embodiments, the attachment part is configured to mark the location of the plug in the service line and remove the plug from the service line to restore a fluid connection between the service line and the pipeline.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/025,627, filed Feb. 1, 2008, which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to pipelinerehabilitation, and more specifically to locating and restoring servicelines in pipeline rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND

After time, pipelines often suffer from corrosion of the inner diameterand/or minor cracking and/or leakage. Such pipelines must often bereplaced or rehabilitated. Replacement often involves the movement ordestruction of above-ground structures, such as roadways or sidewalks.Rehabilitation, on the other hand, may permit a new inner diameter ofthe pipe to be created using the existing pipeline as an outer shell,which may eliminate the need to dig up large sections of existingpipeline and/or water mains, and which may involve significant costsavings over replacement. Pipelines have numerous service lines whichbranch off from the main pipeline.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention relate to improvements in thelocating and restoring of service in fluid bearing pipelines.Embodiments of the present invention include a system for locating andrestoring service lines during pipeline restoration. According to someembodiments of the present invention, the system includes a movablecart, a plug with a marking magnet, and an attachment part. In someembodiments of the present invention, the movable cart is deployed alongthe inside of a pipeline. In some embodiments, the attachment part ismovably coupled to the movable cart. The attachment part is configuredto install a plug into the service line at a location where the serviceline intersects the pipeline, according to some embodiments. In otherembodiments, the attachment part is configured to mark the location ofthe plug in the service line and remove the plug from the service lineto restore a fluid connection between the service line and the pipeline.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the system has a pluginstaller which couples with the attachment part. In some embodiments,the plug installer is configured to install a plug into service lines ata location where the service line intersects the pipeline.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the system has a pluglocator which couples with the attachment part. In some embodiments, theplug locator is configured to mark the location of a plug by sensing amarking magnet within the plug.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the system has a plugremover which couples with the attachment part. In some embodiments, theplug remover is configured to remove the plug from the service line soas to restore a fluid connection between the service line and thepipeline.

Embodiments of the present invention include a method for locating andrestoring service lines during pipeline restoration. According to someembodiments, the method includes: providing a plug with a markingmagnet, installing the plug into a service line running off of apipeline, installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling aspace between the tubular liner and the pipeline with grout, marking alocation for the plug using a plug locator, and removing the plug fromthe service line to restore a fluid connection between the service lineand the pipeline.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe following detailed description, which shows and describesillustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddetailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature andnot restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration, according to embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an attachment part coupled with a plug installer,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an attachment part coupled with a plug installer anda plug, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an attachment part coupled with a plug locator whichis associated with a movable magnet, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a plug locator with a movable magnet separated fromthe plug locator, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration while the system is on the interior of apipeline, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the outside of a pipeline having service lines,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a system for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration after a tubular liner is placed within apipeline, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 a illustrates parts of an exemplary plug according to embodimentsof the present invention.

FIG. 9 b illustrates an exemplary plug according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 c illustrates an exemplary plug according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a plug installer coupled with an attachment part,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 a illustrates an end section of a service line, a plug, and aplug installer, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 b illustrates an end section of a service line and a plugassociated with a plug installer, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 c illustrates a plug which is coupled with both an end sectionof a service line and a plug installer, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 d illustrates a plug installer and a plug coupled with an endsection of a service line, according to embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 12 a illustrates an electromagnetic sensor, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 b illustrates an electromagnetic sensor, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 c illustrates an electromagnetic sensor, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 13 a illustrates a movable magnet and a plug locator, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 13 b illustrates a movable magnet coupled with a plug locator,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 a illustrates an end section of a service line coupled with aplug, a section of a tubular liner, a movable magnet, and a pluglocator, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 b illustrates an end section of a service line coupled with aplug, and a movable magnet magnetically coupled with the plug with asection of tubular liner between the plug and the movable magnet,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 a illustrates a system for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration with a plug remover drilling a hole througha tubular liner into a service line, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 b illustrates a system for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration after a plug remover has drilled a holethrough a tubular liner into a service line, according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 15 c illustrates an embodiment of a plug remover.

FIG. 16 illustrates a method for locating and restoring service linesduring pipeline restoration, according to embodiments of the presentinvention.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in thedrawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, isnot to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. Onthe contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to improvements in thelocating and restoring of service lines of fluid-bearing pipelines suchas, for example, water mains during pipeline restoration. FIG. 1illustrates a system 100 for locating and restoring service lines duringpipeline restoration, according to embodiments of the present invention.According to embodiments of the present invention, system 100 includes amovable cart 102 and an attachment part 104 associated with the movablecart 102. Attachment part 104 may be coupled with various mechanism andtools which will be later described. According to embodiments of thepresent invention the system 100 also includes plug installer 106,coupled with attachment part 104, and plug 108. As used herein, the term“coupled” is used in its broadest sense to refer to elements which areconnected, attached, and/or engaged, either directly or integrally orindirectly via other elements, and either permanently, temporarily, orremovably. As used herein, the term “service line” is used in itsbroadest sense to refer any type of pipe, hose, line, or other systemfor fluid or gas movement.

According some embodiments of the present invention, the movable cart102 is a three axis movable motor assembly positioned on a skid liftmechanism. According to some embodiments, the three axis motor assemblyincludes a drill with a bit holder and a drill motor. Variousattachments may be secured by the bit holder. A chuck or a drill bitholder are exemplary embodiments of attachment part 104, according towhich the attachment part may be moved and rotated in three axis ofdirection. According to embodiments of the present invention, the system100 also includes a lighting means 112 and a camera 110 such that themovements and location of system 100 may be determined and controlledduring use.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up view of attachment part 104 which isassociated with the movable cart 102, according to embodiments of thepresent invention. In some embodiments of the present invention,attachment part 104 may be coupled with plug installer 106 as is shownin FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is illustrates attachment part 104 coupled with plug installer106 which is shown with a plug 108, according to embodiments of thepresent invention. The plug installer, for example, has an attachmentside coupled to the attachment part 104 and an upper side configured toretain a plug 108. The upper side of plug installer 106 has a raisedcircular lip which grips the interior edge of plug 108 such that plug108 remains on the upper side of plug installer 106 until plug istransferred into a service line 702 (as shown and described with respectto FIGS. 11 a-11 d, below). According to some embodiments of theinvention, plug 108 is a tapered polyethylene plug such as LawsonProducts part number 90805 or 90815. Plug 108 may be of variousdiameters, materials, and shapes such that it is configured to sealservice lines of a pipeline at the location where the service lines meetthe pipeline. Other embodiments of plug 108 are described below.

FIG. 4 illustrates plug locator 402 of system 100, where plug locator402 is coupled with attachment part 104, according to embodiments of thepresent invention. Plug locator 402 has a movable magnet 404 as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5 which may be used to mark the location of previouslyinstalled plugs 108. Other embodiments of plug locator 402 are describedbelow.

FIG. 6 illustrates system 100 deployed along the inside of pipeline 602,according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 7 illustratespipeline 602 with service lines 702 branching off from pipeline 602.

FIG. 8 illustrates system 100 deployed along the inside of pipeline 602,according to embodiments of the present invention. According to someembodiments of the present invention, plug remover 804 couples withattachment part 104. FIG. 8 also illustrates liner 802, according toembodiments of the present invention. According to embodiments of thepresent invention, a pipeline 602 may be rehabilitated by inserting aliner 802 therethrough, and cementing the liner 802 to an insidediameter of pipeline 604 with grout. Liner 802 may be, for example, aliner with grout hooks as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,913, issuedon Jan. 2, 2001, and entitled “Pipe Liner, a Liner Product and Methodsfor Forming and Installing the Liner,” which is incorporated byreference herein for all purposes. Liner 802 may be formed of anextruded medium-density polyethylene material or other polymer orpolymer-like material; for example, liner 802 may be formed from a sheetof material created by Velcro® Europe S.A. According to some embodimentsof the present invention, liner 802 conforms to ASTM-D1248: Type 11,Class B, Category 5 standards, and based upon ISO classifications, maybe classified as PE-80 or PE-100 material. According to some embodimentsof the present invention, liner 802 is substantially resistant toultraviolet radiation and is designed for potable water applications.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, liner 802 has atensile strength at breakage of approximately 30 Mpa, an elongation atbreakage of approximately 1,100%, a flexural modulus of approximately700 Mpa, a hardness of approximately 60 Shore D, a Vicat softening pointof approximately 126° Celsius, a density at twenty-three degrees Celsiusof approximately 942 kilograms per cubic meter, a weight ofapproximately 450 kilograms per square meter (plus or minus fifty gramsper square meter), and a hook concentration of approximately twenty persquare centimeter (plus or minus ten percent).

According to embodiments of the present invention, a pipeline 602 may berehabilitated by inserting a liner 802 therethrough, for example, by themethod and system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/842,933 filed on Aug. 21, 2007, and entitled “Systems and Methods forPipeline Rehabilitation Installation,” which is incorporated byreference herein for all purposes.

According to other embodiments of the present invention, a pipeline 602may be rehabilitated by inserting a liner 802 therethrough, for example,by the method and system described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/842,937 filed on Aug. 21, 2007, and entitled “Systems and Methods forInstallation Inspection in Pipeline Rehabilitation,” which isincorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

FIGS. 9 a-9 c illustrates a plug 108 according to embodiments of thepresent invention. FIG. 9 a shows an exploded view of an exemplary plug108 which may have a shell 902, a first foam layer 904, a second foamlayer 908, and a marking magnet 906. According to embodiments of theinvention the shell 902 is hollow and a marking magnet 906 is placedinside the hollow shell. For example, as is shown in FIGS. 9 b & 9 c, afirst foam layer 904 may be placed in the shell 902, then marking magnet906 may be placed on top of the first foam layer 904, and lastly asecond foam layer 908 is placed on top of marking magnet 906. Accordingto embodiments of the present invention the marking magnet 906 may besealed in plug 108 using a silicon adhesive, or other glue or adhesive.According to embodiments of the present invention, plug 108 may beformed using a Room Temperature Vulcanizer (RTV). The marking magnet maybe, for example, a neodymium magnet such as CMS Magnetics part numberNR005-40NM.

According to embodiments of the present invention, system 100 may beused to restore service lines 702 during pipeline rehabilitation byinstalling one or more plugs 108 into the service lines 702 off of thepipeline 602 such that any gap between the service line and the interiorspace of pipeline 602 is sealed off. Plug 108, for example, may beinstalled into service lines by coupling plug 108 with plug installer106 which is in turn coupled with the attachment part 104 of system 100.System 100 may then be deployed within a pipeline 602 to locate serviceline 702 entrance points into pipeline 602. Movable cart 102 may, forexample, locate service lines 702 using lighting means 112 and camera110. Other locating means may be used such as, for example, an optical,electrical, magnetic, and/or sonar locating means. Movable cart 102 maybe moved within pipeline 602. Attachment part 104 may be moved androtated in three axes of direction to place plug 108 into the opening ofservice line 702 such that the opening is sealed. According toembodiments of the invention, the plug locator 402 and also the plugremover 804 may be similarly moved and rotated in three axes ofdirection within the pipeline 602 as described above using the movablecart 102 and the attachment point 104 of system 100.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a plug 108 may beinstalled into a service line 702 using the plug installer 106 coupledto the attachment part 104 as shown in FIG. 10. According to embodimentsof the present invention, a plug 108 may be installed into a serviceline 702 through the steps illustrated in FIGS. 11 a-11 d in whichpipeline 602 and attachment part 106 are omitted for simplification.According to embodiments of the present invention, plug 108 is coupledwith plug installer 106 as illustrated in FIG. 11 b. Plug is thencoupled with the open end of service line 702 such that the opening ofthe service line to the pipeline 602 (not shown) is sealed asillustrated in FIG. 11 c. Plug installer 106 is then moved radially awayfrom open end of service line 702 disengaging plug installer 106 fromplug 108 leaving plug 108 coupled with service line 702 as illustratedin FIG. 11 d.

According to embodiments of the present invention, after plug 108 isinstalled into service line 702, the pipeline 602 may be rehabilitatedusing a liner 802.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the location of plug108 may be determined using plug locator 402. According to someembodiments of the present invention, the plug locator 402 determinesthe location of a plug 108 by detecting the location of marking magnet906 of plug 108 through the installed liner 802. According toembodiments of the present invention, once the location of markingmagnet 906 is determined, that location will be marked. The marking ofthe location of magnet 906 may be accomplished by, for example but notlimited to: creating a dimple or indent in the liner 702 with pluglocator 402; creating a visual marking with pen, pencil, or marker; orleaving a separate magnet at the location magnetically engaged withmarking magnet 906.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the plug locatorhas an electromagnetic sensor as shown in FIGS. 12 a-12 c which may beused to locate marking magnet 906 of plug 108. For example, FIG. 12 aillustrates a PNI Corporation's MicroMag3 integrated three-axis magneticfield sensing module, FIG. 12 b illustrates a Honeywell HMC1052Lmagnetic sensor, and FIG. 12 c illustrates a Honeywell HMR2300three-axis digital magnetometer.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the plug locator402 may include a movable magnet 404 as is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 13a, and 13 b. For example, the plug locator 402 may have an attachmentside 502 coupled with attachment part 104 and an upper side 504configured to engage movable magnet 404. In one embodiment the upperside of plug locator 402 has a central raised bump 506 configured toengage a hole in the center of movable magnet 404. According toembodiments of the present invention the movable magnet 404 and the pluglocator 402 may be magnetically coupled, or may be nonmagneticallycoupled.

FIG. 14 a illustrates a plug locator 402, movable magnet 404, liner 802,and a plug 108 inserted inside the opening of service pipe 702,according to embodiments of the present invention. According toembodiments of the invention, after the liner 802 has been installedwithin the pipeline 602 as described above, the location of a plug 108may be determined by moving the movable magnet 404 which is coupled withplug locator 402 around the interior volume of pipe 702. The pluglocator 402 may be moved while coupled to the attachment part 104through movement of the movable cart 102. According to embodiments ofthe present invention as the plug locator 402 passes by a plug 108 underthe liner 802, the movable magnet 404 will disengage from the pluglocator 402 and magnetically engage with marking magnet 906 which islocated within plug 108. The engagement of marking magnet 906 and pluglocator 402 is illustrated in FIG. 14 b. Multiple marking magnets 906may be used to mark the location of multiple plugs 108.

According to embodiments of the present invention, after the location ofone or more plugs 108 is determined and marked, the one or more plugs108 are removed from the service lines 702 using plug remover 804. Theplug remover 804 may be moved to the location of plugs 108, for example,through the use of movable cart 102, camera 110 and lighting means 112to determine the marked locations of plugs 108.

According to embodiments of the present invention, plug remover 804 maybe coupled with attachment part 104. Attachment part 104 may be, forexample, a drill bit holder which permits the attachment part 104 tomove and rotate in three axes of direction. An exemplary plug remover804 may be a drill bit, such as, but not limited to: a circular drillbit, a circular drill bit with a centering device which may drillthrough a hole in movable magnet 404, and/or the drill bit illustratedin FIGS. 15 a & 15 b. FIG. 15 c illustrates an embodiment of plugremover 804.

According to embodiments of the present invention, plug remover 804 cutsthrough the liner 802 and the plug 108 such that an opening is createdbetween the interior of the pipeline 602 and the interior of servicelines 702. After the opening is created as is shown in FIG. 15 b, theplug falls through the opening due to gravity, according to embodimentsof the present invention. According to other embodiments of theinvention, the plug is removed from the opening by having a plug removermagnet attached to plug remover 804 which magnetically couples to plug108, specifically marking magnet 906, such that as the plug remover ispulled out of the opening, the plug 108 will also be magneticallycoupled to plug remover 804 and be removed from the openingsimultaneously with the plug remover 804.

FIG. 16 depicts a flow diagram 1600 illustrating a method for locatingand restoring service lines in pipeline rehabilitation, according toembodiments of the present invention. A movable cart 102 may be deployedwith a pipeline 602. One or more plugs 108 may be installed into servicelines 702 branching from a pipeline 602. A tubular liner 802 may beinstalled within pipeline 602 by filling the space between the tubularliner 802 and the pipeline 602 with grout. The movable cart 102 may thenbe deployed with a plug locator 402. The location of plugs 108 may bemarked using a plug locator 402 and a movable magnet 404. The locationof the plugs may be marked using a plug locator 402 and an electronicsensor. After the plugs 108 have been marked, the movable cart 102 maythen be deployed with plug remover 804. The tubular liner 802 may thenbe cut at the marked locations The plugs 108 may be removed from theservice lines 702 to restore a fluid connection between the pipeline 602and service line 702, according to embodiments of the present invention.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplaryembodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer toparticular features, the scope of this invention also includesembodiments having different combinations of features and embodimentsthat do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, thescope of the present invention is intended to embrace all suchalternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope ofthe claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for locating and restoring service linesin pipeline restoration, the method comprising: inserting a plug into aservice line opening, wherein the plug comprises a marking magnet;installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling a spacebetween the tubular liner and the pipeline, including between thetubular liner and the plug, with grout; and locating the plug bylocating the marking magnet from within the pipeline.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein locating the plug comprises sensing a magnetic field ofthe marking magnet.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: afterthe grout has substantially solidified, locating the plug by detecting apresence of a magnetic field of the marking magnet.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising marking a location of the plug on an insideof the tubular liner.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprisingremoving the plug from the service line opening to restore a fluidconnection between the service line and the pipeline.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein removing the plug from the service line openingcomprises cutting through the tubular liner at the service line opening.7. The method of claim 6, wherein removing the plug from the serviceline opening further comprises cutting through the grout at the serviceline opening.
 8. A method for locating and restoring service lines inpipeline restoration, the method comprising: inserting a plug into aservice line opening, wherein the plug comprises a marking magnet;installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling a spacebetween the tubular liner and the pipeline with grout; and locating theplug by locating the marking magnet; wherein locating the plugcomprises: providing a movable magnet on a cart; and moving the cartwithin the pipeline until the movable magnet moves toward the markingmagnet.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein locating the plug furthercomprises moving the cart within the pipeline until the movable magnetjumps from the cart onto an inside of the tubular liner at or near alocation of the plug.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprisingremoving the plug from the service line opening to restore a fluidconnection between the service line and the pipeline.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein removing the plug comprises drilling a hole throughthe tubular liner.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hole is afirst hole, wherein the movable magnet comprises a second hole, andwherein drilling the first hole through the tubular liner comprisesinserting a drill bit into the second hole.
 13. The method of claim 11,wherein the hole is a first hole, wherein the movable magnet comprises asecond hole, and wherein drilling the first hole through the tubularliner comprises inserting a centering device of a circular drill bitinto the second hole.
 14. A method for locating and restoring servicelines in pipeline restoration, the method comprising: inserting a pluginto a service line opening, wherein the plug comprises a markingmagnet; installing a tubular liner within the pipeline by filling aspace between the tubular liner and the pipeline with grout; locatingthe plug by locating the marking magnet; and after the grout hassubstantially solidified, locating the plug by detecting a presence of amagnetic field of the marking magnet, wherein detecting the presence ofthe magnetic field of the marking magnet comprises exposing a movablemagnet in the pipeline to the magnetic field.